Elastomer components that can be prestressed by pressure means, and method for the production thereof

ABSTRACT

Elastomer components, which are to have an elastomer volume with a sufficiently large prestress, as is required, for example, for use in wind energy plants. The elastomer components are substantially based on the incorporation and integration of separating elements into the elastomer body of the component, the elements are disposed either individually or in structures. The body may be compressed by pressure supplied into the region, between the separating elements and the surrounding elastomer material, or directly into the separating elements, such that the elastomer components are prestressed in a dynamically adjustable manner.

This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No.12/935,010 filed Sep. 28, 2010, which is a National Stage completion ofPCT/EP2009/002320 filed Mar. 31, 2009, which claims priority fromEuropean patent application serial no. 08006773 filed Apr. 3, 2008.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to elastomer components, in particular elastomerbushes or elastomeric layer springs, which can be pre-stressed in anovel manner, to the use thereof, and to a process for the productionthereof. In particular, the invention relates to large elastomercomponents which are intended or required to have a large elastomervolume with sufficiently large pre-stress, as is necessary, for example,for use in wind turbines. The elastomer components according to theinvention are essentially based here on the introduction and integrationof separating elements, arranged individually or in structures, into theelastomer body of the component, which can be compressed and thuspre-stressed by pressure media introduced into the region betweenseparating means and surrounding elastomer material, or into theseparating elements themselves. On use of hydraulic fluids or gases,variably adjustable pre-stress of the elastomer component can thus beachieved, while on use of a polymerizable liquid, a fixed pre-stress ispossible.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Elastomers have the property that the service life of the material isvery limited, in particular in the case of the permanent presence oroccurrence of tensile stresses. In the design and production ofcomponents which comprise elastomers for damping purposes, great care istherefore taken to ensure that tensile stresses cannot occur.

For this reason, elastomer components, e.g. elastomer bushes for windturbines, are, in accordance with the prior art, pre-stressed aftervulcanization of the rubber material. This is generally carried out bycalibration.

In the simplest case, an elastomer bush consists of an outer and innershell, generally made from metal, usually with a round or ellipticalshape, where the two shells are connected to one another by an elastomerlayer of various thickness. The elastomer bush forms a type of collar,which is placed with its inner shell around the article to be damped(e.g. a shaft or axle of a machine or device to be damped). Duringcalibration, either the outer shell is forced through a tube ofrelatively small diameter and plastically deformed in the process. Thiscauses the diameter of the outer shell to become smaller, so thatpre-stressing of the elastomer located between the outer and inner shelltakes place. Conversely, a pre-stress can be generated by forcing a boltof larger diameter than the inner shell through the latter, whichresults in expansion of the inner shell towards the outside and thuscompression of the elastomer layer between the outer and inner shell.

These two processes can be carried out individually or also together. Ifthe elastomer layer is compressed by the calibration, it is thuspre-stressed in the pressure direction. In the case of radialdeformation of the outer shell towards the inner shell, the operation iscarried out in this pressure range, meaning that tensile stresses do notoccur in the elastomer layer and the service life of the components isassured.

The situation is similar with other elastomer elements, such as layersprings or other bearings or damping means, in which a fairly largeelastomer layer has to be compressed to a not inconsiderable extent andthus pre-stressed.

However, the known prior-art process described above can only beachieved at acceptable cost with bushes and bearings having relativelysmall dimensions (diameter less than 30 cm). The forces that have to beapplied in order to pre-stress, or calibrate, relatively large bushes(diameter greater than 30 cm, preferably greater than 100 cm) are on theone hand too great, and on the other hand the terminal or limitingelements or plates would in these cases have to be dimensionedcorresponding to their thickness and manufactured from very sturdymaterial in order that they do not bend up again or deform due to thelarge internal pressure of the elastomer which has arisen owing to thecalibration carried out. Similar problems can be expected inarrangements which are intended to comprise particular materials or haveparticular shapes and thus cannot be calibrated or can only becalibrated to a limited extent by the known prior-art methods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object was thus to provide elastomeric, pre-stressable componentsserving as bearings, in particular bushes, preferably bushes for windturbines, and processes for the production thereof and methods for thecalibration thereof.

It has been found that elastomer components which have a separatingelement of corresponding dimensions, preferably in their interior, canbe compressed particularly advantageously and effectively if the regioneither in the separating elements themselves or alternatively preferablyaround the separating elements is supplied with liquid, gaseous orpolymerizing media under pressure via a supply line. The separatingelement here can be designed in such a way that it is expanded by theingressing pressure medium. In the preferred embodiment of theinvention, the separating elements are conceived in such a way that theingress of pressure medium causes the formation of chambers and cavitiesbetween separating element and adjacent elastomer layer, which have theeffect that the elastomer layer compresses specifically with a largevolume, restricted to certain parts of the elastomer component, in alocally different manner or uniformly and thus pre-stresses, inaccordance with the selected properties of the separating element and ofthe elastomer material.

This novel principle of elastomer compression and the use thereof ishighly variable with respect to the type and effectiveness of theseparating elements and also the pressure media which can be employed,which generally enable pre-stressing of the elastomer part which can beadjusted in a fixed or variable to dynamic manner. The elastomericcomponents, for example bushes or layer springs, can thus be calibratedextremely well, optionally in a variable manner, over a broad range inrelation to the pre-stress, which thus represents a further advantageover the prior-art elastomer parts relating to this, and the productionthereof.

In the preferred embodiment, the separating elements of the novelelastomer components comprise materials which actually only serve toprovide regions and zones of different size and structure in theelastomer layer in which the elastomer material is not presentthroughout, but instead is interrupted by the separating elements sothat the elastomeric areas of the surrounding elastomer material lieagainst the separating element in these regions in the pressure-freestate and are lifted off the separating element in this region onintroduction of a pressure medium via a supply line, i.e. underpressure, resulting in the formation of cavities or chambers. Theelastomer layer can thus be compressed or pre-stressed further. Thesupply of the pressure medium here is continued until the desiredpre-stress has been achieved in the elastomer part or the relevant partof the elastomer.

In order to produce the chambers and cavities, the separating elementsare introduced into the not yet solid, viscous rubber or polymermaterial in various ways during production of the elastomer layer. It iscrucial here that the separating elements do not form a strong chemicalbond to the still-soft, not yet fully cured elastomer material in thisprocess. Only in this way can the cavities or interfaces mentioned formin accordance with the structure and geometry of the separating elementsafter curing of the elastomer material.

In another, alternative embodiment of the invention, the separatingelement does not serve as surface or interface to the surrounding areaof the elastomer material between which the pressure medium ingresses,but instead is conceived as an elastic hollow body. In this case, thepressure medium is not fed between separating element and elastomerlayer, but instead into the hollow body itself. In the simplest case,the hollow body is an elastic tube or a cavity of any desired shapewhich is surrounded by an elastic wall. In the pressure-free state, thehollow body can be entirely or partially squashed by the elastomer layersurrounding it. The hollow body may also have in part solid structuralelements which prevents complete squashing in the pressure-free state bythe adjacent elastomer layers. This may be necessary if, for example, alarge displacement volume by the pressure medium is desired. Inprinciple, it is not necessary in this embodiment for the elastic wallof the hollow body not to form a chemical bond to the surroundingmaterial, since the pressure medium is forced into the interior of thehollow body and not into the interfacial region.

The invention thus relates to a pre-stressable elastomer componentcomprising at least one elastomer layer and at least onepressure-resistant supply line, preferably having a valve, where theelastomer layer (3, 104) has, in the interior or on an interface,regions having one or more separating elements (4, 105, 107, 115, 116),so that, on the feed of pressure media (5) via the supply line withvalve (10, 101), cavities or chambers (106, 108, 114) form in the regionof the separating elements (105, 107, 115, 116) or in the separatingelements themselves (4) due to the surrounding elastomer layer beingforced apart, where the cavities or chambers can be filled with thepressure medium (5) and expanded, causing the surrounding elastomerlayer (3, 104) to be squashed, and the elastomer part to be providedwith a pre-stress.

In the alternative embodiment of the invention, the separating element(107) is a deformable hollow body (4) having an elastic outer wall, forexample an elastic tube, which can be filled with pressure medium (5)via the supply line (10, 101) and expanded.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the separating element(105, 107, 115, 116) lies against the surrounding elastomer layer or issurrounded thereby without being firmly connected thereto, and cavitiesor chambers (106, 108, 114) form around the separating elements due tothe introduction of the pressure medium (5) into this interfacialregion. In these cases, the separating element can be a wire, a hollowwire, a filament, a film, a plate, a paper, a paint, lacquer or varnishlayer made from a very wide variety of materials, which, itself or whereappropriate its coating, as mentioned, must not form a chemical bond tothe elastomer material during production thereof.

The thickness of the wire, hollow wire, film, plate, paint, lacquer orvarnish layer can be very thin (<1 mm, <0.5 mm, <0.1 mm), which has theadvantage that the separating elements have virtually no significantvolume and/or weight of their own. On use of a hollow wire or cannula, aheating device may be provided, for example, in the interior, by meansof which the elastomeric properties of the elastomer part can beadditionally influenced.

The wire may also be dimensioned in cross section in such a way that itheats up due to its own resistance when a current flows through it.

A further possibility for heating the wire or another inlaid metal bodyis induction. This enables local or also complete warming of the inlaidcomponent.

The separating elements (4, 105, 107, 115) may, in accordance with theinvention, be installed in a linear, two-dimensional or alsothree-dimensional manner (116) in the elastomer body of the component.Entire structures of a wide variety of sizes, distributions andarrangements can thus be formed. For example, a wire or tube can beguided in a ring-shaped, spiral-shaped, meander-shaped or irregularmanner, depending on which regions in the elastomer part are to bepre-stressed to a greater or lesser extent. For example, one layer canbe in the form of rectangular or round areas, which may be connected toone another by channels (115). Layers of this type may be generated,e.g., in color printing processes, or provided as prefabricated metalblank or template. The separating elements, or individual structures ofthese separating elements, may, depending on the technical requirement,be uniformly distributed in the elastomer component or alternativelyarranged in a locally concentrated manner, where, if appropriate, thesestructures can be subjected to different pressures in individualsegments or regions of the elastomer component through a plurality ofcorrespondingly arranged supply lines (10, 101).

Variability of this type in optionally locally different structures ofseparating elements ultimately enables the installation of a likewiselocally very different, very specific matched individual pre-stress inselected regions of the elastomer component according to the invention.The variability in the pre-stresses to be achieved may additionally alsobe increased through the use of elastomeric materials having differentstiffness and/or varying coefficients of expansion in the elastomercomponent, and also through different temperatures, which can be causedby heating elements.

The invention thus relates to a corresponding elastomer component inwhich the separating element is an inlaid wire, filament or hollow wire(105) which consists of a material or is surrounded by a material whichis not capable of forming a strong bond to the surrounding elastomermaterial (3, 104) during production thereof.

The invention likewise relates to a corresponding elastomer component inwhich the separating element is an introduced ink, paint, plastic, paperor metal layer (107) which consists of a material or is surrounded by amaterial which is not capable of forming a strong bond to thesurrounding elastomer material (3, 104) during production thereof. Inparticular, this layer (107) can be an ink, paint, paper, plastic ormetal layer, film or foil, which are introduced into the elastomer bodyas, for example, template, matrix or metal blank by means of a very widevariety of processes known per se.

The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding elastomer componentin which the separating element (4, 105, 107, 115, 116) has a one- two-or three-dimensional open or closed structure, for example aring-shaped, spiral-shaped, meander-shaped, interrupted or continuousstructure, within the elastomer (3, 104).

The invention accordingly also relates to a corresponding elastomercomponent in which either

(i) the elastomer layer (3, 104) has a plurality of the separatingelements of the same type or a plurality of units of separating elementsof the same type (4, 105, 107, 115, 116), which are uniformlydistributed in the elastomer component or a sub-unit of the elastomercomponent, so that a uniform, symmetrical pressure distribution and thuspre-stress occurs in the elastomer component or a sub-unit, or

(ii) the elastomer layer (3, 104) has a plurality of the separatingelements of the same type or a plurality of units of separating elementsof the same type (4, 105, 107, 115, 116), which are distributeddifferently in the elastomer component or a sub-unit of the elastomercomponent, where these separating elements or units of separatingelements have at least one supply line (10, 101), enabling asymmetricalpressure distributions, and thus pre-stresses, of locally differentstrength to be established in the component or sub-units thereof, or

(iii) the elastomer layer (3, 104) has a plurality of separatingelements of different types or a plurality of units of separatingelements of different types (4, 105, 107, 115, 116), which are uniformlydistributed in the elastomer component or a sub-unit of the elastomercomponent, where these separating elements or units of separatingelements have at least one supply line (10, 101), enabling pressuredistributions, and thus pre-stresses, of locally different strength tobe established in the component.

Elastomer components in which mixed forms of the above-mentionedstructures are employed are of course also conceivable.

As already mentioned, a plurality of supply lines (10, 101) havingvalves or closures may be necessary in a certain elastomer component, inparticular if different local segments or structures are to be subjectedto different pressures. The supply lines must be pressure-stable, andare generally made from materials which are suitable for this purpose.

A suitable pressure medium (5), which is also to be regarded ascalibration fluid, are, in accordance with the invention, all commonmedia which are suitable for the generation of moderate and highpressures. In particular, hydraulic fluids, such as oils, liquidplastics, polymer gels or also water, may be mentioned here. It is alsopossible to employ gases or in the simplest case air as pressure medium.

In a particular embodiment, the pressure medium used is a liquid polymersolution which hardens after the desired pre-stress or compression ofthe elastomer layer (3, 104) has become established, and thus ensures afixed, no longer changeable pre-stress value in the relevant elastomerpart or in a segment/region of the elastomer component. Simple,non-dynamic elastomer components of this type make sense if the sameloads on the component are always to be expected, and post-calibrationdoes not appear necessary. However, the polymer body formed or thesheath surrounding it (in the case of an elastic hollow body) may, givena corresponding choice of material, itself again represent a separatingelement, which enables later supplementation by subsequent introductionof further polymerizing or also non-polymerizing media. Thus, e.g., asetting process which has occurred can be countered by subsequentinjection.

Polymers which can be employed for this purpose are conventionalpolymers/copolymers, for example based on acrylate or methacrylate.Furthermore, a curing or polymerizable one- or multicomponent castingmaterial can be employed in the case as pressure medium or calibrationfluid (5), which solidifies to an elastic or also inflexible plasticafter pumping in. The introduced calibration fluid (5) preferably has,after curing, similar elastic properties to the component or elastomerlayer (3, 104) itself. Homogeneity of the entire elastomer component, orof the elastomer bush, is thus present, meaning that, apart from theincrease in pressure, no significant influence on the component as aconsequence of this is to be expected.

As already mentioned at the outset, the elastomer components accordingto the invention are particularly suitable if they are to have largeproportions, as is often necessary, for example, on installation and usein wind turbines.

In particular, round or elliptical elastomer components which have anaverage diameter of greater than 30 cm, preferably greater than 50 cm,in particular greater than 100 cm and very particularly greater than 200cm, are employed here.

The elastomer material here is generally connected to or provided withat least one, but preferably two or more plates or shells, in the formof terminal or intermediate plates or shells (1, 2, 117, 118, 110-113).

The invention thus relates, in particular, to cylindrical or conicallyshaped elastomeric bushes or half-bushes and elastomeric, planar layersprings or other shaped elastomer bearings, which can have a pluralityof intermediate plates or metal sheets and are known per se in the priorart (e.g. EP 1 046 832 B1, EP 1 887 248 A1), but now have the elastomercomponents according to the invention provided with separating elements.

The invention relates, in particular, to a corresponding elastomercomponent in the form of a bush, half-bush or bush segment provided withthe separating elements outlined, characterized in that it has terminalplates (1, 2, 117, 118) which have the geometry of cylindrical (112,113)or conically shaped (110, 111) shells, half-shells or of correspondinglyshaped segments of these shells or half-shells.

In a particular embodiment of the bush according to the invention, thishas at least one correspondingly dimensioned and shaped recess, intowhich the missing bush segment, which includes the separating element,fits precisely and is inserted firmly, where elastomer regions of thebush and bush segment are at least partly in direct contact for pressuretransmission. A construction of this type is advantageous since bushsegments having separating elements as described can be produced moreeasily than entire bushes having the corresponding separating elements.If desired, the segment having the separating elements can also bedesigned in an exchangeable manner, enabling one and the same bush inthe installed state to be provided with separating elements of differentdesign and thus action through the use of segments.

The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding elastomer componentin which the terminal plates are in the form of discs (117, 118) and areconstructed in such a way that they can be connected to machine orgenerator parts, and the elastomer layer (3, 104) bears the discsagainst one another in an elastic manner.

The full or half-bushes as well as the other elastomer elements arepreferably provided with a central, preferably round opening for theaccommodation of the part to be damped or the parts to be damped. Theterminal or intermediate plates or shells consisting of non-elasticmaterial consist of non-elastic material, for example steel. Thismaterial is firmly bonded to the elastomer material.

In general, conventional elastomer bushes and bearings comprise naturalrubber, which can be firmly connected to the metallic bush material byvulcanization. However, since inordinately large bushes can only behot-vulcanized with very great effort, materials which are castable inthe uncured state and are elastic in the solid state, preferablysynthetic or semisynthetic materials, are employed for correspondinglylarge bushes according to the invention.

Such materials are known. Suitable materials for the elastomercomponents according to the invention and of these in particular forlarge elastomer bushes and bearings are, besides natural rubber, elasticpolymers based on polyurethane (PU), which can be built up fromidentical or different polyols and polyisocyanates and have differentproperties with respect to castability, elasticity and stability inaccordance with their composition and the components used. Elasticpolymers based on PU are adequately known, as are their preparation andtheir properties,

In accordance with the invention, however, other elastic materials canalso be used for the elastomer components according to the invention, inparticular bushes, such as, for example, the following pasty/liquidmulticomponent systems: unsaturated polyester resins and curing agents,epoxide/PU systems, polymer/silicone systems, polysulphide/polymersystems, two-component acrylate systems and other two- or multicomponentsystems.

The corresponding material which is intended to form the elastomer layer(3, 104) is, in accordance with the invention, poured in between theouter shell (1) and the inner shell (2), which are concentric in oneanother, of a bush which is conventional per se. Before the material isintroduced, one or more separating elements, as described above, forexample a wire (105) or an elastic tube (4), is laid, for examplecircumferentially in the center, between outer shell (117) and innershell (118) before the pouring of the elastomer material.

Alternatively, it is possible for the material for the elastomer layer(3, 104) to be poured in part, i.e. in portions, into the interspaceformed by the shells or plates (1) and (2) with one another, and allowedto cure, and, for example, the wire (105) or tube (4) then to be laid onthis cured material in such a way that it preferably has no contact withthe walls of the shells/outer plates (1,2). A second elastomer layer (3,104) is then produced. Further layers which comprise separating elements(4, 105, 107, 115, 116) can thus optionally be provided. A novelelastomer bush or elastomeric layer spring is thus provided.

The invention therefore also relates to an elastomer bush comprising atleast one cylindrical, solid, non-elastic outer shell (113), at leastone cylindrical, solid, non-elastic inner shell (112) which has asmaller average diameter than the outer shell, and at least oneelastomer layer (3, 104) which completely fills the interspace betweenthe cylindrical shells and is firmly bonded thereto, where theinterspace between the two shells has at least one correspondingseparating element (4, 105, 107, 115, 116) distributed in acircumferential or locally symmetrical or asymmetrical manner and/orarranged in one- two- or three-dimensional structures. In bushes or flatlayer springs in which relatively narrow elastomer layers are to beemployed, a completely or only partly circumferential wire (105) or tube(4) is preferably used.

The wire or elastic tube may be run out of the component radially oralso axially at one or more points. Pressure/calibration medium (5) isforced under high pressure (5-500 bar, preferably 10-100 bar), forexample from a storage vessel (8) via a pump (7) into the separatingelement (elastic hollow body) or between separating element and adjacentsurrounding elastomer layer (3, 104) over these end pieces oralternatively directly if the latter are not provided, via thepressure-stable supply line (101, 10), which optionally includes theconnector (6). In the case of the use of an elastic hollow body (4)(e.g. tube) in the component, this expands in accordance with its sizeand the pressure of its filling and thereby displaces the compressibleelastomer layer (3, 104) until pre-compression or pre-stressing of theelastomer layer or elastomer bush corresponding to the requirements hasbeen achieved.

The same is achieved on use of a wire or hollow wire (105), or a layer(107), e.g. a film, an ink print, etc., but here, as already outlined,the pressure medium (5) is forced into the interspaces forming due tothe pressure and expanding between separating element (105, 107, 115,116) and surrounding elastomer material (3, 104).

As already explained, the elastomer components according to theinvention can be produced in basically two different ways.

The method that is simpler in practice and can thus be made lessexpensive is based on the creation or production of individual elastomerlayers (3, 104) from the above-mentioned rubber or polymer materials, towhich, after solidification thereof, the separating elements are appliedor attached in the desired distribution and structure, and provided withthe requisite supply lines (101). A further elastomer layer which coversor encompasses the introduced separating elements (4, 105, 107, 115,116), so that they are completely surrounded by elastomer material, issubsequently applied.

The invention thus relates to a process for the production of apre-stressed elastomer component as described, comprising the followingsteps:

(i) provision of a first, solid elastomer layer as part-layer of theentire elastomer component in the desired shape and size,

(ii) attachment of one or more separating elements (4, 105, 107, 115,116) to a surface of the provided elastomer layer after step (i),including at least one pressure-stable supply line (10, 101) in or onthe separating element, if necessary with the aid of assistants whichsimplify the attachment and positioning on the elastomer layer,

(iii) application of a second elastomer layer in the form of a still notfully cured or polymerized elastomer composition to the surface of thefirst, solid elastomer layer having separating elements, so that, aftercuring or polymerization of the elastomer composition, the latter formsa strong bond to the first elastomer layer and thus ultimately forms theelastomer layer (3, 104), but where the introduced separating elementsdo not form a bond to the elastomer composition on curing thereof owingto their material property,

(iv) repetition of steps (ii) and (iii) in the case where a plurality ofplanes of separating elements in the form of a plurality of part-layersare desired in the elastomer layer (3, 104), and

(v) feeding-in of the pressure medium via the supply line (10, 101)under pressure into the region between separating element andsurrounding elastomer layer or into the separating element itself, wherethe latter compresses and the elastomer component thereby receives apre-stress.

The full or half-bushes according to the invention can be produced in avery simple manner, as described above, using these processes.

The second process alternatively consists in the preparation of theelastomer (3, 104) in a single step. To this end, the separating elementmust be introduced between the terminal plates, for example of a bush,by appropriate auxiliary devices and fixed.

The invention thus also relates to a process for the production of apre-stressed elastomer component which has at least one cylindrical,conical or flat, solid, non-elastic outer shell or plate, at least onecylindrical, conical or flat solid, non-elastic inner shell or plate,and at least one elastomer layer (3, 104) which completely fills theinterspace between the correspondingly shaped shells or plates and isfirmly bonded thereto, where the process has or comprises the followingsteps:

(i) laying or fixing at least one separating element, for example acircumferential elastic tube (4) or a wire (105), into the interspace ofthe two shells of the elastomer component before introduction of theelastomer layer, where the separating element is fitted at least with asupply line (10, 101) to which a calibration system, preferablycomprising a calibration pump (7) with a calibration filling (8), isconnected,

(ii) introduction of the elastomer by filling-in of a viscous or liquidelastomer composition which, after polymerization, forms the elastomerlayer (3, 104) into the interspace formed by the shells or plates (1)and (2), in which the separating element, for example the wire or tube,is located, and

(iii) supply of a viscous or liquid calibration fluid or pressure medium(5) into or around the separating element under pressure, optionally viaa connector (6), after the surrounding elastomer layer (3, 104) hassolidified, causing the latter to be compressed and pre-stressed.

Through the supply of further pressure medium or calibration fluid (5)under pressure by means of the calibration device described (pump, line,optionally connectors), a higher pre-stress or compression of theelastomer layer (3, 104) between the shells or plates of the componentor the bush can be achieved.

On use of non-polymerizable hydraulic fluids or gases, the pre-stress ofthe elastomer (3, 104) can, in accordance with the invention, be reducedby the discharge or removal/release of pressure or calibration fluid (5)from the relevant expanded regions/elastic hollow bodies, for examplefrom the tube (4) or from the chambers or cavities (105) formed.

The supply of pressure medium (5) into the separating elements (107)(elastic hollow body, e.g. tube (4)) or into the regions (cavities)around the separating elements (layers, plates, ink prints, films, etc.)via the supply line (101) can be carried out in various ways.

In principle, the pressure or calibration medium (5) can be suppliedaxially or radially. Depending on the construction and design of theelastomer component (bush, layer spring, etc.), the supply can takeplace through the outer plates (1, 2, 117, 118, 110-113), e.g. a bush,as described above, towards the outside or also through the freeelastomer layer surface (11) of the relevant component towards theoutside. The supply line (10, 101) is generally connected to therespective volume to be filled (chambers, hollow bodies) via a connector(6). The supply line is itself in turn connected, for example via aconnecting piece, to a calibration unit (pump, storage volume for thepressure medium (5), optionally high-pressure lines, etc.). One or moresupply lines and connectors can be employed in a separating element,where the supply lines have pressure valves or other pressure-tightclosures.

In a particular and preferred embodiment of the invention directed toelastomer bushes, the supply lines (10, 101) and connecting elements (6)are run perpendicularly through the cylinder wall of the outer shell(113) and/or inner shell (112) of the bush towards the outside orinside. The shells here have correspondingly oriented holes whichaccommodate the supply lines and/or the connectors (6) with an accuratefit. If the separating elements used are tubes (4) which are laidradially into the bush cross section, the tube ends can be directed tothe outside or inside and connected directly to the supply lines and thepressure-medium system via the connectors. This enables greaterflexibility to be achieved in the production or calibration of theelastomer components, in particular elastomer bushes.

The elastomer components according to the invention are, as alreadyexplained in the introduction, extremely suitable for the production oflarge to very large elastomer bushes, layer springs and othercorresponding bearings (diameter >100 cm), as used in wind turbines orplants with similar dimensions/requirements.

The novel principle described above that elastomers, through theintroduction of separating elements which define potential cavitieswhich can be filled by hydraulic or other pressure media and expanded ina variable manner, so that the elastomer experiences compression andthus pre-stressing, can be used not only for the production and use ofelastomeric bushes and bearings conventional per se for large plants, asdescribed above, but also for the production and use of elastomericshapes, arrangements or devices in which a certain controllable flexibleand modifiable compression/decompression behavior of the relevant localelastomer layer relative to other regions of the elastomeric shape,arrangement or device is to be effected in different local regions, sothat intentional deformations or artificial movement activities, whichcan be utilized industrially in a useful manner, are therebyfacilitated.

In these elastomeric arrangements according to the invention, thedivision, design and supply of the separating elements (4, 105, 107,115, 116) with pressure media (5) is carried out in a verydifferentiated and individual manner. The use of elastomeric material ofdifferent stiffness and/or different coefficients of expansion in theindividual regions of the arrangement, in particular in the region ofthe separating elements, can likewise achieve a further fine adjustmentof the flexibility of the pre-stressing behaviour of the elastomermaterial in certain desired region of the arrangement.

The highly variable, different compression and decompression behaviormade possible by this in individual elastomer elements or regions in anarrangement of elastomer components having separating elements can bematched to one another in strength, direction and time by an intelligentcomputer-controlled logic in such a way that deformation or movementprocesses of the elastomer shape arise, which can be utilizedindustrially, for example for mechanical gripping, pressing, pushing,triggering, etc. The elastomeric arrangement here can be brought closerto this aim by a corresponding shaping of even individual elements ofthe arrangement. One possible design can thus be a mechanical gripper oreven an artificial hand.

The invention thus relates to an elastomeric arrangement, optionallyhaving a shape and design, for carrying out artificial movements orintentional deformations, comprising one or more optionally shapedelastomer elements, as described above, which are functionally connectedto one another, and have intelligent computer-supported electronics,which specifically control the individual structures in the separatingelements of the elements and ensure dynamic pressure distribution andthus variable expansion or compression/decompression in the locallydifferent regions of the relevant elastomer layer(s), so that a specificdeformation or movement of individual elements of the arrangement or ofthe entire arrangement can be carried out with the aid of the controldue to the different compression/decompression of the elastomer materialrelative to one another in the region of the separating elementsaddressed in each case.

DESCRIPTION OF THE REFERENCE SYMBOLS IN THE TEXT AND FIGURES

-   (1), (117) upper terminal plate-   (2), (118) inner terminal plate-   (3), (104) elastomer layer-   (4) elastomeric tube as separating element-   (5) pressure calibration medium-   (6) connector-   (7), (8) pump with pressure medium-   (9) decompression space-   (10), (101) pressure line/filling tube-   (102) valve, closure device-   (11) free elastomer surface-   (110) conical inner element (bush)-   (111) conical outer element (bush)-   (112) cylindrical inner part/shell bush-   (113) cylindrical outer part/shell bush-   (105) separating element as wire, filament, cannula, hollow wire-   (107) separating element as layer (ink print, paint, plate, film)-   (106), (108), (114) cavity or chamber after filling with pressure    medium-   (115) separating element as layer in channel structure (ink print,    paint, metal blank-   (116) three-dimensional grid comprising separating elements as in    (105), (107) and (115)-   (130) concrete foundation-   (131) steel ring for mounting of a structure, for example a tower-   (132) circumferential flange with elastomer components according to    the invention

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1: Elastomeric bearing with inlaid wire, filament or the like asseparating element, pressure-free (without pre-stress)

FIG. 2: Elastomeric bearing according to FIG. 1 under pressure(pre-stress)

FIG. 3: Elastomeric bearing comprising a layer as separating element,pressure-free.

FIG. 4: Elastomeric bearing according to FIG. 3, under pressure(pre-stress)

FIG. 5: Elastomeric bearing according to FIGS. 2, 3 which hascircumferential layers as separating elements.

FIG. 6: Elastomeric bearing according to FIGS. 2, 3 which hascircumferential layers comprising separating elements which are arrangedin a meander shape (in different planes of the elastomer).

FIG. 7: Conical elastomer bearing (bush), with separating element (wire)which is tensioned by filling pressure.

FIG. 8: Cylindrical elastomer bush with separating element (elastichollow body/tube/plate)

FIG. 9: Elastomer component with uniformly distributedsquare/rectangular separating elements generated by color printing whichare connected to one another by corresponding channel structures.

FIG. 10: Elastomer component with grid structure of separating elements(wire)

FIG. 11: Layer spring with an elastomer layer with circumferential wireor tube after introduction of pressure medium (pre-stress), The feedtakes place axially from the outside through a terminal plate.

FIG. 12: Layer spring with an elastomer layer with circumferential wireor tube after introduction of pressure medium (pre-stress). The feedtakes place radially towards the outside through the free elastomerlayer.

FIGS. 13 a, 13 b, 13 c and 13 d: Sections through a cylindricalelastomer bush with circumferential tube and tube ends run out of theelastomer. Also shown are connection devices and device for filling withpressure medium.

FIG. 14: Cross section through an elastomeric, cylindrical bush withinserted segment which has wire or tube as separating element andincludes a supply line for the pressure medium.

FIG. 15: Bush segment from FIG. 14 in another view.

FIG. 16: Bush segment in longitudinal direction of a cylindrical bushwith circumferential wires or tubes, including supply line(s),introduced at various heights of the elastomer layer.

FIG. 17: 3D representation of a bush with the inserted segment of FIG.16

FIGS. 18 a and 18 b: Wind turbine foundation with elastomer componentsaccording to the invention

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention is described in greater detail in the following examples,which are directed to the figures. The parameters and values given hereor also in the figures are purely illustrative and are not intended torestrict the invention, in particular if the person skilled in the artis readily able to make generalizations therefrom without himself havingto be inventive.

A simple embodiment of an elastomeric bearing which includes theseparating elements in the use according to the invention is depicted inFIG. 1. An elastomer layer (104) is laid as a ring into a correspondingrecess of the bearing plates. A circumferential wire ring has beenvulcanized centrally in the interior of the elastomer ring. The supplyline (101) including valve (102) is in direct contact with the wire(105), which functions as separating element here. The valves (102)serve to decompress components pre-stressed with polymerized pressurefluid if necessary. If no pressure medium has been fed in, the elastomerlayer (104) lies against the wire. On introduction of pressure medium, aring-shaped cavity filled with pressure medium forms around the wire(FIG. 2). Since the elastomer material is clamped firmly between theplates, it is compressed and receives a corresponding pre-stress.

The situation is similar if a ring-shaped layer (107) comprising ink,paint, film, metal blank, etc., is present in the interior of theelastomer body instead of the wire (FIGS. 3 and 4).

In order to obtain a more uniform and or greater pre-stress, it is alsopossible for a plurality of wire, tube or layer rings as separatingelements to be arranged in the same or different planes/at the same ordifferent heights in the interior of the elastomer (FIG. 5 and FIG. 6).

FIGS. 7 and 8 show the principle according to the invention of elastomerlayers which can be compressed and/or decompressed by separatingelements with reference to conical or cylindrical bushes or bearings. Itcan be seen that the separating elements (105, 107) can be arranged bothradially (FIG. 7) and axially (FIG. 8). In the bushes depicted, thesupply line (101) is in each case run through the limiting outer plate.Injection of the pressure medium (5) gives rise to filled cavities (106,108), which ensure displacement of the surrounding elastomer material.

FIG. 9 depicted an elastomer layer (104), on which regular layerstructures, for example comprising ink, paint or other materials, arearranged. In the specific case, the structures have been produced bycolour printing. This enables the entire surface to be subjected topressure approximately uniformly. The small channel structures (115)present, which connect the surface structures (107) to one another,likewise enable hydraulic fluid or gas to flow after compression of thesurrounding elastomer material. The entire structure has a supply line(101) merely at one point, meaning that the pressure medium can onlyreach the other separating elements (107) or chambers (114) via thechannels forming. This generates damping which can be adjusted asdesired, is material-dependent and can be increased in action virtuallyas desired. An elastomer element of this type can be designed, forexample, as damping mat or as shock absorber and can functioncorrespondingly.

The structures may also be arranged irregularly in the elastomer mat orin a correspondingly shaped elastomer part (not depicted), enablingnon-uniform pressure distributions. A locally non-uniform force ordeformation thus arises in the elastomer body, so that the latterspecifically produces movements which are dependent on the introducedpressure. With this and similar elastomeric arrangements, elastomercomponents can be charged with an amount of fluid which corresponds to amultiple of the volume of the actual elastomer body. Large symmetricaland asymmetrical movements of the elastomer body are thus facilitated(gripping hand)

FIG. 10 shows another variant of the principle of FIG. 9. Here, athree-dimensional regular grid structure (116) likewise ensures that anoverall compression of the elastomer which corresponds to a multiple ofits volume can be generated. Irregular arrangements and shapes (notdepicted) also enable specific deformations and thus movements to becarried out therewith.

FIGS. 11 and 12 apply the design principle depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 toa layer-spring element.

FIGS. 13 a, 13 b, 13 c and 13 d use an elastic hollow body in the formof a tube (4) running around the circumference of a bush instead oflayers as separating element. On use of a half-bush, the tube ends arerun directly out of the elastomer and can be connected directly to thepressure-medium feed system. Alternatively, the connections may also, asdepicted, be run through one or both terminal plates (1, 2).

FIGS. 14-17 show the use of an elastomeric bush segment which containsthe separating elements according to the invention, by way of example aswire system. The elastomer layer of the segment is in direct contactwith the layer of the remainder of the bush, so that, when pressure istransmitted through the supply line, not only the elastomer material ofthe segment, but also the remainder of the bush is pre-stressed. Theadvantage of a bush of this type lies, in particular, in the simplerproduction.

FIGS. 18 a and 18 b depict a concrete foundation (130), for example of awind turbine, The turbine tower, which is likewise subjected to constantvibrations, is mounted on the profile steel ring (131) cast into thefoundation. This ring is only loosely concreted in and preferably hascircumferential flanges (132), which contain elastomer componentsaccording to the invention, at at least two positions of differentheight. The movements of the tower loosen the concrete between thecircumferential flanges (132) of the integrated ring in the absence ofpre-stress. By injection of pressure media (5), an adequate pressurestress can be generated in the concrete foundation, so that theloosening of the concrete or structure is suppressed.

1-29. (canceled)
 30. A pre-stressable elastomer component comprising:first and second plates being formed as one of cylindrical shells,conical shells, cylindrical half-shells, conical half-shells,cylindrical shell segments and conical shell segments, the first and thesecond plates being aligned and defining a central axis such that theelastomer component is in a form of at least one of a bush, a half-bushand a bush segment; at least one elastomer layer that is entirely formedbetween the first and the second plates and radially spaced from thecentral axis; at least one separating element is completely encased bythe elastomer layer in an interior thereof; at least onepressure-resistant supply line with a valve, the supply line with thevalve passes into the elastomer layer and communicates with the at leastone separating element such that, on supplying a pressure media, via thesupply line with the valve, chambers form in a region of the at leastone separating element due to the surrounding elastomer layer beingforced apart, when the chambers are filled with the pressure media andexpanded, the surrounding elastomer layer is squashed, and the elastomercomponent is pre-stressed, and the chambers are entirely radially spacedfrom the central axis.
 31. The pre-stressable elastomer componentaccording to claim 30, wherein the at least one separating element,including the supply line, is accommodated in the bush segment which isinserted into the bush, where elastomer regions of the bush and the bushsegment are at least partially in direct contact with one another forpressure transmission therebetween.
 32. The pre-stressable elastomercomponent according to claim 30, wherein the at least one separatingelement is surrounded by the surrounding elastomer layer and isunconnected thereto, and the chambers are formed around the at least oneseparating element due to an introduction of the pressure media therein,the chambers being completely delimited by the surrounding elastomerlayer, the at least one separating element being spaced from the centralaxis, and the chambers being annular.
 33. The pre-stressable elastomercomponent according to claim 30, wherein the first and the second platesare made from a non-elastic material, the elastomer layer is eitherfirmly connected to or clamped between the first and the second plates,the at least one separating element is located, with respect to thecentral axis, centrally between the first and the second plates and isseparated therefrom both radially and axially by the elastomer layer.34. The pre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 33,wherein the first and the second plates are formed as one of thecylindrical shells, the cylindrical half-shells and the cylindricalshell segments and the supply line with the valve defines a supply axisthat is normal to the central axis and supplies the pressure media, viaa radially outer one of the first and the second plates, to the at leastone separating element elastomer layer.
 35. The pre-stressable elastomercomponent according to claim 30, wherein the elastomer component has atleast one non-elastic interlayer which is located in the interior of theelastomer layer and is connected to elastomer material of the elastomerlayer.
 36. The pre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 30,wherein the at least one separating element is a deformable hollow bodywhich has an elastic outer wall which is finable and expanded with thepressure medium via the supply line.
 37. The pre-stressable elastomercomponent according to claim 36, wherein the deformable hollow body isan elastic tube into which the pressure medium is introduced.
 38. Thepre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 30, wherein the atleast one separating element is one of an inlaid wire, a filament, ahollow wire which either comprises or is surrounded by a material whichis unbondable with the surrounding elastomer layer during productionthereof.
 39. The pre-stressable elastomer component according to claim30, wherein the at least one separating element is one of an ink layerstructure, a paint layer structure, a plastic layer structure, a paperlayer structure and a metal layer structure which either comprises or issurrounded by a material which prevents bonding of the separatingelement with the surrounding elastomer layer during production of theelastomer component.
 40. The pre-stressable elastomer componentaccording to claim 39, wherein the one of the ink layer structure, thepaint layer structure, the plastic layer structure, the paper layerstructure and the metal layer structure is produced by one of printingand adhesive bonding.
 41. The pre-stressable elastomer componentaccording to claim 30, wherein the at least one separating element hasone of an open and a closed structure and is formed into one of atwo-dimensional structure and a three-dimensional structure within thesurrounding elastomer layer.
 42. The pre-stressable elastomer componentaccording to claim 41, wherein the at least one separating element hasone of a ring-shaped structure, a spiral-shaped structure, an irregularstructure, an interrupted structure and a continuous structure.
 43. Thepre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 30, wherein thepressure media is one of air, a gas, a hydraulic fluid, a viscous fluidand a polymerizable fluid.
 44. The pre-stressable elastomer componentaccording to claim 30, wherein the elastomer component has a variablyadjustable pre-stress which is achieved by one of supplying the pressuremedia to the region of the at least one separating element, and removingthe pressure media from the region of the at least one separatingelement, via the supply line and by opening and closing the valve. 45.The pre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 30, whereinthe elastomer layer has one of a plurality of corresponding separatingelements and a plurality of units of corresponding separating elements,which are uniformly distributed in either the elastomer component or asub-unit of the elastomer component, such that a uniform, symmetricalpressure distribution, and thus pre-stressing, occurs in the elastomercomponent or the sub-unit of the elastomer component.
 46. Thepre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 30, wherein the atleast one elastomer layer has one of a plurality of correspondingseparating elements and a plurality of units of the correspondingseparating elements, which are distributed differently in one of theelastomer component and a sub-unit of the elastomer component, where theseparating elements or the units of the separating elements havenoncorresponding segments of the supply line which enables asymmetricalpressure distributions, and thus pre-stressing, of locally differentstrength to be established in the elastomer component or the sub-unit ofthe elastomer component.
 47. The pre-stressable elastomer componentaccording to claim 30, wherein the elastomer layer has one of aplurality of distinctive separating elements and a plurality of units ofthe distinctive separating elements, which are uniformly distributed inone of the elastomer component and a sub-unit of the elastomercomponent, where the separating elements or the units of the separatingelements have at least one segment of the supply line which enablespressure distributions, and thus pre-stressing, of locally differentstrength to be established in the elastomer component.
 48. Thepre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 30, wherein thefirst and the second layers of the at least one elastomer layer have atleast one of different stiffness and different coefficients of expansionin the region of the at least one separating element, the at least oneseparating element being arranged in different arrangements to varypre-stress in different regions of the at least one elastomer layer. 49.The pre-stressable elastomer component according to claim 46, wherein aplurality of sub-units of the elastomer component form an elastomericarrangement for carrying out artificial movements, and are functionallyconnected to one another, and intelligent computer-supported electronicsspecifically control individual structures in the separating elements ofthe plurality of the sub-units of the elastomer component and ensuredynamic pressure distribution and thus variable expansion in locallydifferent regions of the associated elastomer layers, such that dynamicdeformations in the elastomeric arrangement arise and specific movementof individual elements of the elastomeric arrangement are carried outwith aid of specific control due to different compression/decompressionof the elastomer material relative to one another in a region ofassociated separating elements.